Cape Grace Wines

Cape Grace Wines is a small, family-owned cellar door at 281 Fifty One Road in Cowaramup, about ten minutes from the townsite and twenty from Margaret River. It is a genuinely easy stop with a dog: an informal, owner-run tasting room where visiting dogs are part of the routine rather than an exception, and where Lenny, the resident winery dog, is often on hand to say hello.

Dogs at Cape Grace

Well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome both in the outdoor areas and inside the cosy, rustic tasting room, so a grey day does not derail the plan. Keep your dog settled at your feet while you taste; the room is small and the tastings are personal, run by the owners themselves. If you are travelling in peak holiday periods it is worth a quick call ahead on (08) 9755 5669 to confirm space, and groups of six or more should book by phone.

Worth knowing

The estate leans on sustainable, traditional winemaking, with award-winning wines grown on site including cabernet sauvignon, chenin blanc and shiraz. Tastings are unhurried and personal, which suits dogs that prefer a quiet room to a busy bar. The property is also home to a private collection of Australian parrots in a natural bush setting, an odd little bonus if you are wandering the grounds. Doors are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 11am to 3pm.

Max: dogs are welcome inside the tin-shed tasting room as well as outside, so this one works even on a rainy Margaret River afternoon.

Getting there and parking

Turn off Caves Road onto Fifty One Road and follow it along to number 281; the cellar door sits roughly halfway along. Parking is free and informal, right outside the door, so you and the dog are on the tasting mat within a few steps of the car.

Pair it with

A short loop is easy to build: Passel Estate and Edwards Wines both sit along nearby Ellen Brook Road, and Juniper Wines is close by on Tom Cullity Drive, all welcoming dogs on leads in their outdoor areas.

For a leg stretch between tastings, the Wadandi Track runs through Cowaramup, and more options are on the Western Australia wineries guide and the Cowaramup destinations page.